It had been a few years since my last visit to Advent, so when Pr. Joel Burkholder asked me to cover the last Sunday of his sabbatical, I was happy to say yes. They have two worship services each week (traditional and contemporary) so it was a full morning.

This is a vibrant congregation with great things happening too, including an active quilter group as many congregations have.

The congregation also hosts a Spanish language worshipping community led by Synodically Authorized Worship Leader, Connie Ortega. Since I was already there, I stuck around for their worship service too.

I may not have understood most of the words, but the liturgy was still familiar. They also celebrated the Presentation of a young boy during worship – an old tradition that is an important cultural tradition for some communities. It’s a joyful time and a celebration of hope.